Northward Expansion of Buddhism - Far East

Buddhism reached China during the time of the Han dynasty. Dunghuang is the best example of a Buddhist and trading town on the Silk Road through Central Asia. Buddhism however started gaining converts only after the end of the dynasty. By the Tang dynasty Buddhism was a major social and political force and the Tang emperors were devoted patrons of the religion. From China Buddhism spread into Korea from the 4^th century and cross the sea to Japan in the 6^th century.

• Buddhism in China
• Mahayana Buddhism in Korea
• Japan, the Land of Mahayan Buddhism
• Mahayana Buddhims in Vietnam

Buddhism in China

Traders along the Silk Route introduced Mahayana Buddhism to China during the 1^st centuries AD and the new religion soon acquired a firm foothold beside the indigenous Chinese beliefs of Taoism and Confucianism.

Chinese pilgrims made the long and difficult journey to India during the first millennium AD to collect scriptures and visit the sites of important events in Sakyamuni Buddha's life. Notable ones were Faxian, who visited India around 399-413 AD, Xuanzang in 630-640 AD and Yijing in 671-695 AD.

A sea link between India and China was forged around AD 400. Buddhism reached China by sea from Tamralipti, Sri Lanka and Indochina to Guangzhou, and from there overland via Changsha, or along the coast, to the lower Yangxi region. The earliest evidence for the use of sea route is found in an account of the voyage of Faxian, who returned to China from India via Java in AD 414.

Under the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), Buddhism spread further in China. During this period, Buddhist arts flourished, especially in the caves at Dun-huang, Yun-gang and Long-men. From China, Buddhism spread to Korea in the 4^th century AD, to Japan in the 6^th century AD and later to Tibet.

Mahayana Buddhism was introduced to the three northern kingdoms of Korea, Koguryo, Paekche and Silla, during the 4^th century. During the 6^th and 7^th centuries, many Korean monks went to China to study and brought back with them the teachings of the various Chinese schools of Buddhism. Korean Buddhism reached its height in the 11^th century AD during the rule of the Wang dynasty. At this time, several famous scholars went to China to study the Buddhist doctrines. After the 11^th century AD, Buddhism, which had been the religion of the aristocracy, became the faith of the common people.

Japan, the Land of Mahayan Buddhism

Japan has been called the land of Mahayana Buddhism. It is generally held that Mahayana Buddhism was introduced in 552 AD by the king of Paikche of one of the Korean kingdoms. Buddhism was accepted by the aristocracy during the 6^th - 7^th century AD largely because it was introduced alongside the highly developed culture of China. Under the Heian period, 8^th - 9^th centuries AD, Buddhism was nationalised and made the religion of the common people. The doctrines however were still too abstract to be easily understood by the common people.

A new Buddhist movement arose in the 10^th century AD in the form of belief in Amitabha Buddha, forming the Pure Land sect. At around the 12^th century AD of the Kamakura period, Zen or Chan sect was introduced. The rise of these sects resulted in the complete acceptance of Buddhism by the common people.

The early northern states of present Vietnam were under the domination of the Chinese Empire for several centuries. Mahayana Buddhism was introduced to these states by China. The earliest monks were said to have come from China at the end of the 2^nd century AD. From the 5^th century onwards, southern states were gradually assimilated by powerful northern states. As a result, the Chinese form of Mahayana Buddhism influenced the south and eventually became commonly practised.

		Two Paths Of Salvation		Across the Himalayas
		Spread of Buddhism Beyond Northern Indian		Southeastern Expansion of Theravada Buddhism -Indochinas
		Northward Expansion of Buddhism - Far East		Southward Expansion of Mahayana Budhism - Southeast Asia
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